May 2013

It is the earliest writing in the New Testament, written about 51 C.E., still in the first generation after the resurrection of Christ and that first Pentecost. But already, Paul is warning them: "Do not quench the Spirit." [I Thessalonians 5:19]
Oh, how often have we done just that! And it's time to stop it! You were created in the image of God and the Holy Spirit is here, ready and waiting, to recreate your life, to make of you a great work of art. The problem is that we keep giving away our crayons or letting others take them away. But when we do that, we stifle the Spirit inside of us. We murder something that God made for us.

That theme is what our scripture from 2 Corinthians shares so PERFECTLY about how God calls us to "Come alongside those who are struggling" And that's it. If I were to finish today I would say "Happy Mother's day to all those who have "come along side others" who have struggled, whether you are a mom or not.". I'd also say "If you want people to come to Christ you need to come alongside those who are struggling and model the gracious, forgiving and compassionate love of Jesus".

Where the Gospel of Matthew ends is where real life begins, where we sometimes worship and sometimes doubt and sometimes all at the same time. And I suspect that Jesus knows this, because to the some who worship and the some who doubt, he gives the same command: "Go make disciples." Given the people around him, wouldn't you think that Jesus would say, "Go be disciples" before he tells them to make disciples?